Striking mechanism for clocks



' (No Model.) K 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- G. M. BILGER. STRIKING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS.

No.555,203. PatentdFeb.Z5, 1896.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. M. BILGER. STRIKING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS.

No. 555,203. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

AN DREW EGRAHAVL PHOTOLITHD. WASHI HGTON, 0.0

(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 3. G. M. BILGER. STRIKING MECHANISM FORCLOCKS.

N0 555,203. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

UNITED. STATES PATE T OFFICE.

GEORGE M. BILGER, OF OLEARFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRIKING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,203, dated February25, 1896.

Application filed April 2, 1895. Serial No. 544,188. (No model.)

T0 0/ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. BILGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Clearfield, in the county of Olearfield and State ofPennsylvania, have invented-a new and useful Improvement in the StrikingMechanism of Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of clocks having a count-wheel withshallow grooves around the perimeter of the same, into one of which acatch falls at each stroke, and having deeper grooves atregularly-varied distances around the same to regulate the stroke by thecatch falling into the same and the count-wheel being stopped when thedesired number has been struck; and the objects of my invention are,first, to have an outside indicator moving with the countwheel, whichshall indicate, at all times, in which deep groove the catch rests, and,consequently, the number which the clock will next strike, and, second,to enable any person to correct the stroke of the clock by moving theindicator to any desired number without striking the clock to thatnumber as now required in that class of clocks. I attain these objectsby the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which--Figure 1 represents the striking mechanism. of the clock with theimprovement attached. Fig. 2 represents a side view of the strikingmechanism without the catch O, with a vertical section of theimprovement attached, together with one form of key to be used inoperating the improvement. Fig. 3 represents a portion of thecount-wheel with the spring II and a vertical section of the balance ofthe improvement. Fig. 4 represents the several parts of the improvement.Fig. 5 represents a modified form of outside indicator. Fig. 6represents a modified form of the improvement attached to the frame ofthe clock and showing a modified form of key and indicator andregulator, and Fig. 7 represents the several parts of the modified formof improvement.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the count-wheel; a, the deep grooves, and a the shallowgrooves around the same; 13, a cog-wheel meshing with the count-wheel Aand moving the same; 0, a bar with a catch falling into the grooves aand a; D D, extended. arms on each side of the sleeve P and extendinginto the openings L L in the small outside indicator and regulator E.

F is the axle of the count-wheel A, and which also serves as thewinding-bar for spring of striking mechanism, excepting in the modifiedform as shown at Fig. 6; G, a ratchetwheel.

II is a spring to throw the count-wheel A forward into position.

N is a mark upon the face or outside of the clock to which the numberson the indicator and regulator are to be brought.

T represents two forms of key to work the improvement.

W is a hand upon the modified form of indicator and regulator E.

X is an opening in the center of the indicator and regulator E throughwhich the axle F extends.

S is a shoulder on the axle F in the modified form of improvementagainst which the spring I-I rests.

M is the front of clock-frame; R, abracket attached to frame M to form abearing for the axle F.

In the preferred form the count-wheel A is attached permanently to thesleeve P, which in turn has the arms D D extending into the openings L Lof the indicator and regulator E. The count-wheel A, the sleeve P, andthe indicator and regulator E all move together loosely upon the axle F,which extends through the face of the clock. The indicator and regulatorE is a small plate, say, one inch or less in diameter, either placedaround the winding-bar F of the striking mechanism or at any other placeon the clock, and joined by appropriate gearing to the sleeve P. It hastwo openings L L for the arms D D and an opening X in the center for thewinding-bar and axle F. A space is left between the countwheel A and theratchet-Wheel G, which is occupied by the spring H, so placed as tothrow and hold the count-wheel A forward in position.

The modified form of improvement shown at Fig. 6 is applicable to thatclass of clocks in which the count-wheel is not hung upon thewinding-bar, but is placed upon a separate axle. The sleeve If, the armsD I), and the openings L L are all absent in this form", while theopeningX in the indicator and regulator E is square instead of circularin form. In this case E serves as the axle for the countwheel A and theconnection between it and the indicator and regulator E, taking theplace of the sleeve 1 in the preferred form, and the count-wheel A isfixed solidly to it. An additional bearing for the axle 1 is supplied bythe bracket R, attached to the front of the clock-frame M, while thecount-wheel A is thrown forward by the spring II, placed between theframe ill and the shoulder S. The key to be used in this form is asimple square key to fit the square opening X. (See Fig. 6.)

In the preferred forin when the striking mechanism is set in motion thecount-wheel A is moved around the axle F by the cogwhecl B, and thecatch C rises and falls with each stroke into one of the shallow groovesa", and when the desired number of strokes has been struck the catch Cfalls into one of the deep grooves u and the count-wheel A is stopped.As the count-wheel A moves, it carries with it the sleeve P, the arms DD, and the indicator and regulator E. If the striking mechanism bestarted when the mark N is at any number, say V, it will turn untilstopped at VI, &c., the hand IV on the indicater and regulatorE (seeFig. 5) or the mark N (see Fig. 4:) always pointing to the number whichwill next be struck, and always indicating into which deep groove a ofthe countwheel A the catch C rests. The numbers upon and around theindicator and regulator E should be placed at the same relative andregularly varied distances from each other as are the deep groox'es aupon the count-wheel A-that is, the greatest distance between XII and land the shortest distance between I and II. The order of the numbersaround the indicator and regulator E (see Fig. 5) and those upon theindicator and regulator E (see Fig. l) is reversed.

The great ditlieult-y with clocks of this class has been that when oneof the same is striking the wron g number--for instance, striking twelvewhen the hour and minute hands are at XIthere is no way of correctingthe stroke excepting by causing the clock to strike until the clock hasstruck clear around to XI, or rather until the catch 0 has fallen intoevery shallow and deep groove a and a from XII around to XI. This isobviated by niy invention. IVhen the clock is striking the wrong hour,the ends of the key T are inserted into the holes L L of the indicatorand regulator E and pushed against the arms D D, when the sleeve P willpush the count-wheel A back against the spring II and toward theratchetwheel G, and until the count-wheel A is freed from the catch 0and the cog-wheel B, when a turn of the key T will bring the count-wheelA around to any desired point. lVhen the key T, after pressing back thearms D D, is

turned until the hands of the indicator and regulator E (see Fig. 5) orthe mark N (see Fig. 4) points to the number which it is desired shallnext be struck, the key T is withdrawn, and the spring H throws thecountwheel A forward so that it meshes with the cog-wheel B and thecatch 0 slides into the proper deep groove to, and the sleeve I movesforward until the arms D I) are again even with the surface of theindicator and regulator E.

In the modified form the same result is reached without the use of thearms I) I) or the sleeve P. The key T is inserted into the opening X andpressed against the end of the axle E, which is shoved back and carrieswith it the count-wheel A, which is attached to the axle F. \Vhen thekey T is turned, both the indicator and regulator E and the co nut-wheelA move around, together with the axle 1 until the hand \V points to thedesired number, when the key T is withdrawn and the spring II, setagainst the frame M, pushes against the shoulder S and throws thecountwheel A forward into position.

I am informed that repeating clocks are made lntving a snail to regulatethe stroke, which is geared to the central arbor to which the hands arefastened. I do not claim this, but

hat I do claim is-' r 1. The combination, in a clock, of the other partsof the striking mechanism with the count-wheel and an indicator andregulator, connected with the count-wheel,substant-ialiy as shown, forthe purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a clock, of the other parts of the strikinmechanism with an indicator and regulator connected with acountwheehmovable out of the plane of the cog wheel B and the catch 0,substantially as de' scribed.

3. The combination, in a clock, of the other parts of the strikingmechanism with the count-wheel and an indicator and regulator, connectedwith the count-wheel, and having marks upon the same in the samerelative po sitions and at the same regularly-varied distances from eachotheras are the several parts of the perimeter of the eount vheel, allsubstantially as set forth.

l. The combination, in a clock, of the other parts of the strikingmechanism with the count-wheel A, attached to the indicator andregulator E by the sleeve I, and all movable together upon the axle 1substantially as shown.

5. The combination, in a clock, of the other parts of the strikingmechanism with the count-wheel A, the spring ll, the sleeve 1, the armsD D, the openings L L and X and the indicator and regulator E,substantially as shown.

GEORGE M. BIL HER.

\Vitnesses B. F. CHASE, JAMES II. KELLEY.

